Handguns can be divided into two principal classes, revolvers and "automatics". In the former, cartridges are loaded singly into the chambers of a cylinder which rotates to bring successive cartridges into alignment with the barrel and firing mechanism. In the latter a magazine or clip containing a plurality of cartridges may be slid as a unit into the butt of the weapon allowing the cartridges to feed automatically into the firing chamber or breech. The fired cartridges are automatically extracted.
Cartridges are also of two types, rimmed and rimless. The latter effectively have a single diameter so they stack with parallel axes; the former have bases at first ends with rims of diameter greater than the rest of the cartridge. The present invention relates to automatic weapons using rimmed cartridges.
In the prior art, there are magazines for rimless cartridges of several calibers and for rimmed cartridges of small calibers. The magazines for rimless cartridges generally relate to rifles (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,038). The magazines for pistols generally use rimmless cartridges. Magazines for rimmed cartridges are known to exist for .22 and .38 special handguns. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,510,831 and 2,895,248 are exemplary of .22 caliber magazines. The former shows a spring urged platform plate for lifting two columns of cartridges upward in the magazine. The latter shows a spring urged follower for lifting a single column of cartridges. A guide element is movable among three positions in order to accomodate .22 short .22 long and .22 long rifle cartridges. The guide element is essentially a wedge extending along a narrow side from the bottom to the top of the magazine.
Magazines for .38 special and .22 caliber handguns have been sold commercially. The .38 special magazine is exemplary. It has a spring urged follower for moving cartridges upward. The magazine holds a maximum of five cartridges. The cartridges rest in a single bananashaped column with the follower changing the angular orientation of the lower cartridge each time a bullet is fired. In this manner, the uppermost cartridge always maintains a proper orientation relative to the breech.
These prior art magazines are interesting, but have not taught how to make a magazine for a large caliber rimmed cartridge. Since a magazine for a handgun fits within the handle of the gun, geometry is an important aspect of any magazine design. Known magazines have not shown a combination of elements in a geometry usable in, for example, a .357 magnum. Furthermore, except for .22 caliber magazines, known magazines have not held more than five cartridges.